Chinese Cinderella Quotes

In the Autobiography ‘Chinese Cinderella’, by Adeline Yen Mah, Adeline has grown to become a much stronger and somewhat wiser person towards the end of the novel compared to how she was at the beginning. However, there are still some areas that she still shows weaknesses because of the way she was treated when she was a young girl. Adeline has grown a lot throughout the novel she has use her relationships with people to help herself stay strong.

During ‘Chinese Cinderella’, Adeline discoverer’s herself becoming a much stronger person towards the end of the book, as she learns more about herself and family. Adeline significantly had good relationships with Ye Ye and Aunt Baba; they helped each other grow stronger. This can be shown when Ye

Ye is teaching Adeline Chinese and Adeline grows to love Chinese not so much hate it, “You are forgetting you Chinese!” Ye ye admonished. “Go get the dictionary on the table by my bed. Look up those new words I just taught you and copy them in your notebook”. When PLT came into Adeline’s life it changed her perspectives on life, because she learnt to love and care for PLT, even though she is being neglected at the same time, which made her stronger.

Adeline tries to take special care of her duckling, finding and feeding it worms, “Later that night at dinner, Father wants to test out Jackie’s obedience and asks for a volunteer duckling. Big Brother choose PLT, who is then mauled by tempted Jackie.” Adeline’s grief is deep, with the chapter being closed off with the burial of poor Precious Little Treasure “she was my best friend and now I have lost her forever”. After PLT had

passed it helped Adeline grow stronger in everything as it helped her relies she needed to get more friends and focus on schoolwork more, therefore Adeline has grown stronger by the end of the book then she was at the beginning.

Throughout Adeline’s childhood she is always facing challenges, which can may lead to a weakness, she is a rejected child, who is in a family split by favouritism situation, she has to learn to cope and grow with the situation. Adeline is also rejected by the rating of the rooms in there Shanghai house, for example the first floor in the house is for the important family members, while the second floor is for the least important family members, which is where Adeline’s room is. Adeline is sent to a boarding school by her father and stepmother, this is their way of getting rid of her. Her father remembers nothing about her. “Hmm…let’s see now. How old are you”. When we read this are quickly taught to feel sorry for Adeline whose father remembers nothing about her and sends her away to boarding school, the author Adeline talks about how she is a rejected child. From the very start of the book Adeline she has always had a very low self-esteem she has never been able to stand up

for herself, 'But then Mama died giving birth to you. If you had not been born, Mama would still be alive. She died because of you. You are bad luck.” These are the first lines we hear from Big Sister. The endless cycle of hate towards Adeline creates an even larger low self-esteem every time. Throughout Adeline childhood she is always facing never ending challenges but she still faces low self-esteem and is never standing up for what she believes in.

In conclusion, Adeline has grown to become a much stronger and somewhat wiser person towards the end of the novel compared to how she was at the very beginning. However, there are still some areas that she still shows weaknesses, which is herself-confidence and standing up for her. Adeline has grown a lot throughout the novel she has use her relationships with people to help herself stay strong, Adeline uses her homework as a key to help her succeed and become more wiser in all bits of life but I’m not convinced she has become a lot more wiser just yet. Overall Adeline is still facing many challenges in her childhood her self-esteem is her biggest struggle yet. I do agree adeline has grown stronger but not so much wiser.